Straight to your Arms
by kamachi
Summary: Just after being jilted on her wedding day, Kamiya Kaoru suddenly found herself hurled into a marriage proposal, by the man who convinced her fiancée to abandon her; the same man which was supposed to be her brother-in-law.
1. Breaking the News

**A/N:** A new story from your humble servant kaoru07. This story is a re-tell of the story "Marriage on the Rebound" by Michelle Raid.

Ladies and Gents, vertebrates and invertebrates, Sit back and enjoy the show!

**DISCLAIMER: **This would be the only chap that I will post this disclaimer. Rurouni Kenshin (Samurai X) is the property of Watsuki Nobuhiro and Jump comics as much as I don't own the Miss Reid's "Marriage on the Rebound" or the plot (As I said this is a re-tell,…RK style) So lawyers don't sue… I don't claim anything.

**SUMMARY:**

Just after being jilted on her wedding day, Kamiya Kaoru suddenly found herself hurled into a marriage proposal, by the man who convinced her fiancée to abandon her; the same man which was supposed to be her brother-in-law. She half-heartedly accepted his proposal, but why did he want her to be _his _bride just now, when he had acted as if he despised her?

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><p><strong>Straight to Your Arms<strong>

_CHAPTER ONE- Breaking the news_

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><p>Her ice-cold hands pressed between her knees as she slumped to the nearest chair.<p>

The silence that filled the room made her wonder if she's just deaf of everyone's just mute. All she knew is the small sheet of notepaper her hands crushed beneath the soft folds of pure white silk and delicate lace. The note the red-haired man had just coldly handed to her.

'_Dear Kaoru…'_

Remembering it only made her already pale face turn whiter with misery.

"How could he do it?" her brother-in-law's harsh voice finally unruffled the silence. As much as Sano hated it to sound gruff, he just blurted it out.

But nobody answered him. Who would dare anyway? _Nobody knew._ Kaoru sure couldn't, and the red-head obviously wasn't prepared to.

Only a few short miles away, the supposed-to-be groom stood idly by the lead-paned window, effectively isolated from it all. After all, his part of the dirty feat was done.

"My God! He couldn't have made it any worse, could he?" Sano raked out angrily.

"No", not wanting to add fuel to the fire, the red-haired man managed to get the single syllable past his tensely locked throat to answer that one. He knew what Sano is capable of, so as much as possible he tried to make use of his presence sparingly.

The bride didn't so much as move, her eyes which were dark blue under normal circumstances looked much darker in her pale face now. She was not seeing much, just the cold, dark niches of her mind where she could see the horror and feel the hurt and humiliation waiting to take hold of her once the all-encompassing numbness of shock had worn off.

Kenshin must be in shock too, she supposed. He certainly looked pale beneath that warm tone that his skin always wore. And he was dressed for a wedding the way an unsuspecting best man would; in a formal grey morning suit.

Her gaze dropped to her hands, where her finger curled tightly around the crisp note.

'_I'm sorry I have to do this Kaoru….'_

Her heart was pumping unusually –not in her breast but in her stomach, massive, agonizing pulses that made her feel dizzy and sick.

Somewhere out there was a church full of anxious guests, all clad in their best wedding finery, waiting for a bride and groom who would never show up.

By now, they would have suspected that something had gone wrong. The fact that the groom and his best man were not in their places by the altar was enough to stir up suspicion alone. Her sister would be jumping all over the place with worry and Misao, her bridesmaid, looking foolish in her pretty emerald dress, would be waiting just outside the church for a bride who was no longer wanted

"God –"Sano broke into sudden movement. "I have to go and warn all those poor people waiting at the chur–"

"There's no need, I've already seen to it….I thought it – best." he finished inadequately, hating the situation Akira had thrust upon him so much, that the words came out abrupt.

As if on cue, the sound of a car pulling up outside the elegant town house alerted them of the first shocked arrivals back from the church.

'Too soon', Kaoru thought numbly, her head spinning with emotional overload. 'I'm not ready for them. I can't face them, I can't–'

"Kaoru"

It was Kenshin's voice sounding raw with concern. Within seconds she felt herself being caught just before she collapsed.

"I don't want to see anyone..," she whispered.

"Yes, of course". Kenshin bent in front of her, holding her slumped against him. With the fine tulle veil covering her thick mane of midnight-black hair rustling against his face and his heart thundering underneath her resting brow she noted distantly that he was trembling.

"It's Megumi.." Sano had moved to peer out of the window. "It's your sister, Kaoru", he murmured soothingly.

Kenshin uttered a soft curse when the front door burst open. Kaoru began to shake violently so he shifted his big frame to gather her into the protective cocoon of his arms.

"Kaoru!" Megumi's near hysterical voice rang out.

"No.." she whimpered against Kenshin's shoulder "please..no,…"

Of all the things she has to face now! She didn't want this not when she couldn't cope with it. Not her sister's grief, not her brother-in-law's –not even her own!

Kenshin must have sensed it, because he stood up and suddenly pulled her with him, and then she was being lifted into his strong arms.

"She's fainted"

He lied. God alone knew why, but Kaoru was grateful to him. She allowed her ice-cold face press into his warm, tense throat, his masculine scent surrounding her.

"Her room, Mrs. Sagara –show me where her room is."

Megumi, her quiet, gentle older sister who rarely let anything ripple the calm waters surrounding her life –went completely to pieces, dropping down into one of the chairs to sob uncontrollably. Sano went to her while Kenshin mumbled something under his breath and strode out of the room without waiting for directions.

The hall was packed with people. Kaoru could feel their horrified presence even with her face hidden in Kenshin's throat. She heard several shocked gasps, and Misao's voice, questioning and sharp with concern. Kenshin answered tightly, but she didn't know what he said. She was hovering somewhere between this world and another, riding on a fluffy grey cloud just above pained reality. The only voice raspy enough to penetrate through was Kenshin's.

"Which room?"

When no one still answered, he took the stairs and ignored their presence. The angry adrenaline pumping in his blood was powerful enough to send him up there without him so much as taking a breath.

Once on the lobby, he began opening doors, throwing them wide and glancing inside before moving onto the next one, until he came to one which could only be the bride's room, because of the messy scatter of wedding paraphernalia all over the place. He finally sat her down on end of the bed and then turned to slam the bedroom door shut.

Then the silence returned. The same hard, pounding silence which had closed them all downstairs, after Kenshin had delivered Akira's letter.

Kenshin just stood there, glaring at her down bent head for a few moments, and then suddenly walked towards her to grasp the short veil she still wore. He ripped it from her head and threw it aside, careless of the amount of pins holding it in place.

"Gomenasai," he muttered tensely in his Japanese accent. "But I couldn't …" swallowing, he spun away, thrusting clenched fists into his pockets.

She didn't mind when her scalp began to tingle from his rough treatment. If anything, she was glad of the feeling because it told her she was _at least_ still feeling. She even understood why he'd done it.

She must look pathetic, really pathetic, sitting here in all her bridal clothes while her groom ran off in the opposite direction.

Then it really hit her. Self-loathing surged up from nowhere and brought her staggering to her feet. The letter, still crumpled in one hand fell forgotten on the floor as she began a mad clawing at the tiny pearl buttons holding the front of her lacy bodice together.

"Help me, for God's sake!"

"Kaoru, I can't!" Kenshin sounded helpless, which brought her eyes jerking up to his face.

"Why not?" she demanded. "You've done everything else you could possibly do to ruin this day for me, why can't you help me ruin this horrible dress too?"

Her sudden reproach sent him a step back, and set a nerve ticking at the side of his rigidly held jaw.

She watched his casually cold-hearted eyes soften with emotion as he opened his mouth to say something. Kaoru's chin came up; her darkened eyes daring him to deny what she had said accused him of.

But he couldn't, and his mouth closed again into a hard, tight line of self contempt.

On a fresh wave of inner violence, Kaoru gave a fierce yank at the bodice so that the two pieces of fine fabric tore apart, sending tiny buttons flying everywhere; on the bed, on the floor, and one flying across the room to land on the soft mauve carpet at Kenshin's feet.

"Help me!" she pleaded in choking desperation. The silk ripped as she tugged, but she didn't care, it felt as if getting out of this dress was the most essential thing in her life at that moment – to remove everything, even remotely connected with Akira or her ruined wedding day from her body.

He stared down at it, his titian head was lowered so she couldn't see the expression on his face.

On a rustle of silk, she turned away to finish the complete destruction of the dress and took malicious pleasure in ripping it from her body, without a single care for how much it cost. Until she stood there, trembling and cold, in the lovely white lace Basque and the silk stockings which was all she wore beneath.

"This feels worse than rape" she whispered, her arms wrapping tightly around herself in a protective manner, wishing that it would be able to lock her from the painful reality.

"Kaoru... Don't…" he muttered, taking half a step towards her with his hands outstretched in a kind of distressed appeal. But he knew there was nothing he could say, nothing that could ease the pain and degradation she was suffering right now.

So instead, he turned for the door, his shoulders stiff beneath the smooth grey cloth of his suit. "I'll go,..and get someone –"

"NO!" the protest stopped him dead on his tracks, just a couple of steps from the door. "No…" she repeated weakly. "You can leave now if you want…, but I don't want anyone else coming near this room."

It was one thing having Kenshin witness her complete downfall, since it was he who had in fact, brought it about. But it was quite another having all those others witness it too.

She wanted nobody here. No one. Not her best friend Misao or her own sister.

She didn't care about Kenshin, or the fact that she was wearing next to nothing in his presence. Besides, he had openly held her in scorn from the very first moment Akira had introduced her as his fiancée.

Thoughts of Akira brought the sickness back, roiling around in her stomach so she had to heave in some deep, controlling breaths to stop it from overwhelming her. Her hands remained on her arms, soiling the soft flesh red as her nails bit at her upper arms with enough cruelty to draw blood.

Suddenly, she felt something cold press against her skin. Her long lashes flickered upwards as she detached her left hand from her arm and spread the cold and trembling fingers out in front of her.

A huge diamond shone tauntingly back at her, and with an angry pull she wrenched it from her finger and spun to face Kenshin again, her eyes spearing bitterness into his tensely guarded amber ones.

"Here" she threw it at his feet. "You can give it back to him. I don't ever want to see it again"

Turning away from the image of Kenshin slowly bending down to pick up the ring, she walked quickly into her small bathroom, where she sagged shakily against the door. Her insides felt thick and heavy, as though every functioning organ had collapsed, self disgust had her body folding right against itself.

Then, with the sudden jerky movements of one whose mind was not functioning with any coherent thought at all, she staggered drunkenly to the tub. Her cold and trembling skin was crawling with revulsion that she desperately felt the need to wash it away.

It was only when she wrenched the fragile white silk Basque from her body that she saw the pale blue satin and lace trimmed garter still clinging lovingly to her thigh, just above one white silk stocking.

A smile twisted her bloodless lips when she realized just how ridiculous she must have looked to Kenshin, making her grand exit with this piece of frivolity on show. Tears blinded her eyes, the first of many, she supposed.

With the back of an icy hand, she pitifully wiped them away. Trembling fingers found the tap and turned it on until the burning hot hiss of water gushed down on her. Then she just stood there, not moving, just letting the stinging heat wash all over her. Eyes closed, face lifted up, not caring if she scalded herself, so long as she scoured every last hint of the 'bride' on her body.

How long she stood there like that, she had no idea, because she refused to allow herself to think, or feel. But through the dark recesses of her consciousness, she was vaguely aware of intermittent knocks sounding on her bedroom door, of voices –one her sister's, another one crisp and clear was Misao's.

Kenshin's deep resonant murmurs fused with theirs, telling them God knew what. She didn't know nor care as long as he kept them all away from her. Then, eventually, silence fell again, but this time, it is a solid kind of silence which soothed her flurried heart and helped her keep her face turned up to the hot, hissing spray.

There would be time enough to endure all those pitying glances and murmured platitudes which were bound to come her way. Right now, she would allow herself this few minutes of solitude. A time hers alone…to try to come to terms with what she is now.

A jilted bride.

**TBC…**

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><p>Preview of the Next Chapter – <em><span>When all falls down<span>_

"_I'm not going yet.." he told her confidently. "I have a proposition to you first.." Kaoru was about to speak when he cut her off._

"_..I want you to hear me out before you say anything. I know you're in shock, and I know for the moment you're still not capable of making decisions of any kind. But I'm going to force this one on you –"_

"_Sorry mister Himura" she cut in, "but I've learned my lesson not to get into any propositions, especially one that involves a member of your family circle"_

_She hastily stood up in an attempt to avoid the conversation when he grabbed her wrist. "Please,… I'm just doing this for the simple reason that I think, if you agree, we can at least save your pride if nothing else from this mess.."_

_Kaoru was perplexed. His amber eyes were guarded but unwavering as they held onto her cerulean ones with fierce determination. _

"_Marry me instead of my brother Kaoru"_

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><p>(EDITED JUNE 23 2011)<p>

This is the revised version of this chapter. Those who have read the first version of this should give this a second chance. Thanks to **bbzachariah **and **Auditory Eden** for leaving an eye opener^^ If anybody's disappointed with how this chapter had turned into, I sincerely apologize. Please understand that if I didn't do this, this story would be removed otherwise.

_Chapter two is currently on the process of editing so I haven't published it yet. But it's already finished, just needed a few retouches so I guess it should be out tomorrow._


	2. When all falls down

**A/N:** and for the typical entrance…

I know I disappointed you when I promised for a weekly update. I hope you're still with me, thank you for being patient. My other concerns can be found at the end of this page… but for now, I'll let you read in peace.

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><p><strong>Straight to Your Arms<strong>

_CHAPTER TWO- When all falls down_

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><p>"Kaoru!"<p>

The loud rapping at the cubicle door jolted her out of her senses. Sure enough, the hot water did its job numbing her nerves and senses.

But now, the empty space where her heart was hurting earlier was replaced by revulsion. She was a fool, for believing that the ever-so-great Himura Kenshin would let her tie the knot with his brother.

When did it begin? She had known it from the day Akira presented her to him. Kenshin's expression was stern as she stood in front of him – with her hand possessively held by Akira in assurance.

Right then she had a strong sense of anxiety that Kenshin sure would do anything in his greatest power to tear them apart.

Now thinking of it made her chest wrench even more.

"Kaoru! Open up now!" the urgency she felt in his voice made her jump that her feet almost slipped at the wet tiles.

_So, he still hasn't made his bloody escape like his brother had_. She noted to herself.

His silhouette remained steady behind the glass paned door, always ready to see his responsibilities to the bitter end.

What responsibilities? She asked herself.

Kenshin. The older brother. The more successful one. The head of the great Seijuro Empire. A man with shoulders broad enough to take whatever was thrust upon him.

And Akira had certainly thrust her upon Kenshin today, she thought with a bitter smile.

"Kaoru…" This time it sounded closer. She turned and stared at the fog of steam to find his figure standing with a towel ready in his hands.

"Who said you could come in here?" she threw back, uncaring for her own nakedness.

Without tearing his gaze from her face, he outstretched his arms to her "Come on, you've been there long enough"

She laughed "Why?" it sounded a long way short of humor "Long enough for what? After all, I'm not going anywhere, am I?"

"Hiding in here won't make it all go away you know that"

"Leave me alone Mister Himura"

"You're going to make them all worry"

"So what? You've achieved what you set out to do!" she threw back harshly "Or aren't you done making this even more miserable for me?"

"I'm afraid I can't do that" he reached out to turn off the water

After the sound of gushing water finally emanated, a new silence engulfed them.

"He didn't want me,.." she murmured dully "After all he said,.. He really didn't want me"

The towel came softly about her shoulders. Kenshin's hands kept them in place as he gently urged her out of the shower and turned her into his arms.

"He wanted you,.. but he loved Tomoe." he brought up the topic as cautiously as his conscience could.

Yes, Tomoe. Akira's first and only love, she thought.

"He had no right to promise any other woman anything while he still loved her"

"and you had to bring her back into his life!" she threw back accusingly

His hand moved gently on her back. "I'm sorry..Kaoru…"

For some reason his apology cut so deeply in her that she took a step away from him, and with all the burning, bitter condemnation bubbling hotly inside her, she threw her hand hard against his face.

He took it all, without even flinching. One slap shouldn't be enough. She wanted to shout and kick at him to release all her hurt and anger, but that brief flash of violence seemed to have taken what little energy she had.

Now, looking at his unfaltering expression, she wondered if that grim look he was wearing hid satisfaction or any guilt at all for what he had done.

Kenshin had warned her six weeks ago, that he wouldn't just stand aside and let her marry his brother.

From the first moment their eyes had met across the elegant width of Kenshin's luxurious home, his disapproval for her had been there.

All her life, people had been turning their heads in admiration at the rare combination of straight jet black hair, dark blue eyes and skin as pale as milk – a result of mixed Japanese and British race. But it suddenly became something to be conscious about as she experienced what real prejudice felt like.

The moment Kenshin had held out his hand to her in formal greeting, she knew by sheer instinct that he had no wish to touch her or even be in the same room as her. Yet, oddly, not only had he taken her hand but he had held onto it. His tight grip had managed to chill the blood in her veins in appalled acknowledgement of what his expression was telling her.

Kenshin Himura had made sure she was aware of her complete unsuitability to become a member of their great family.

Well, today he had won.

_And now he could afford to be little charitable_, she thought. _Lend comfort to the defeated. _

She walked back to her bedroom, and miraculously, there wasn't a single detail of bridal attire about the place. The whole room had been cleared of everything while she had been hiding in the bathroom.

Kaoru picked up her bathrobe, aware that he had followed her and that she was once again exposing her nakedness to him. It didn't seem to matter, not when the sight of her body held no interest for the man.

"Your suit is wet," she told him. The dark patches on his grey suit where she had leant against him were obvious even in the dim room. He just shrugged with indifference and moved to look through her cupboards.

"Here" closing her robe, she turned to find him holding out a glass half full of what could only be brandy.

She smiled wryly at it "A toast? For your victory?" she mocked, taking it from him while lowering herself onto the edge of the bed. It took her a painful effort to sit from being too stiff with shock.

"Drink it" he advised "I can assure you, it will help"

She swirled the dark amber liquid around the glass, noticing its familiar color. She knew she had seen it, just couldn't put where.

"I'm in need of the same." Sitting beside her, he filled another glass.

It was really strange, but having spent the last six months avoiding touching her at all cost –well, except for that one brief contamination when they had been formally introduced – Kenshin seemed quite happy now to be as close to her as he could get.

She watched him as she took her first sip. With the close proximity, she could clearly see the two brothers' difference. Where Kenshin was toned, Akira was fair –so fair that she wasn't surprised to find out they were half-brothers, which also answered the question to the eight year gap of their ages. Akira always wore a smile and Kenshin always had that serious look.

Taking another sip, she realized that it tasted gross, but it did at least put some warmth back inside her.

"What happened in here?" it was his turn to glance around the tidy room.

"Mrs. Sagara and your friend – Misao, am I correct? –cleaned it all out while you're inside the shower." He explained "They needed to feel useful"

"I'm surprised Misao didn't throw you out"

"Not Megumi?" he queried.

"No" Kaoru shook her wet hair "My sister has never been rude to anyone in her home in her life.

"Unlike me"

"Unlike you" she agreed, not even trying to work out why they were sitting here having this stupid conversation in her bedroom of all places. He being who he was supposed to be and she –

"Misao tried throwing me out" he admitted "But I convinced her that you would be able to handle all of this better with me here rather than anyone else."

Even she herself knew why she had clung to him. "Because you don't care", she nodded perceptively.

"That's not true" the sternness of his voice returned all of a sudden. "I know you won't believe this, but from the beginning I knew that Akira was not the man for you.., I'm relieved he came to his senses before it was too late –

"I understand okay?" She snapped back, deriding herself of the bitter truth he kept rubbing on her face.

"If it gives you any satisfaction to know it, Akira and Tomoe are not proud of themselves for doing –."

"It doesn't!...and I really don't want to hear it!" she cut in and gulped down the remaining contents of the glass.

She wasn't ready to feel, not ready to think about anyone yet – not about herself, not about Kenshin and especially, not about Akira and Tomoe.

Color finally starting to come back to her shock-whitened face, Kaoru composed herself.

"All right Mr. Himura. I know all of this had been an ordeal for you, and I thank you for the bother you've taken with me. But I'm going to be all right, and I would like you to leave now."

"I'm not going yet.." he told her confidently. "I have a proposition to you first.." Kaoru was about to speak when he cut her off.

"..I want you to hear me out before you say anything. I know you're in shock, and I know for the moment you're still not capable of making decisions of any kind. But I'm going to force this one on you –"

"Sorry mister Himura" she cut in, "but I've learned my lesson not to get into any propositions, especially one that involves a member of your family circle"

She hastily stood up in an attempt to avoid the conversation when he grabbed her wrist. "Please,… I'm just doing this for the simple reason that I think, if you agree, we can at least save your pride if nothing else from this mess.."

Kaoru was perplexed. His amber eyes were guarded but unwavering as they held onto her cerulean ones with fierce determination.

"Marry me instead of my brother Kaoru"

For a short breath-locking moment, Kaoru experienced a complete mind black-out.

"Have you gone mad?" she choked. "Why, you despise the very sight of me!"

"Kaoru.." His hands came out to grasp hers. He looked tense, not as much as her but determined.

"I know I'm not Akira,..nor ever will be for that matter. He's my half brother, and as different from me as – as Tomoe is for you" he stuttered, trying not to aggravate her further.

Tomoe! The name was beginning to haunt her. Gentle face, dark eyes and calm nature; She was the archetypal pocket Venus, the fine porcelain doll, the trophy wife. While Kaoru she was the…

"She's right for him Kaoru! He said fiercely. "They were childhood sweethearts, young lovers before a stupid misunderstanding sent Tomoe flying off to live with her brother in America last year…"

"I told you I didn't want to hear any of this!" she cried.

"All right! Listen to this instead." He insisted. "In three days' time, Megumi and Sano should be leaving on a three-month-long cruise. Do you think they'll even consider going now, after what's happened to you today?"

She felt guilty for forgetting all about her sister's and Sano's delighted plans to take their dream cruise. Seeing her safely married would mean the end of their obligation, now that the girl they had taken care of for the past years was leaving the fold, so to speak.

"They don't have to worry about me. I'll tell them-

"Tell them what? That you'll be fine grieving here all on your own for the next three months?" he confronted when she fell silent.

"I don't intend to grieve." She denied.

"Good, I'm glad to hear you've got more spirit than to do that. But would you leave them on their own if something as devastating as this happened to them? Of course you wouldn't."

He paused long enough to wait for her reaction. "And if you did manage to convince them to go, do you think they would enjoy themselves, knowing how they'd left you behind?"

"I'll go stay with Misao"

Misao is getting married herself in a few months" he reminded her.

"How did you know that?" she gasped in amazement.

He dismissed her question. "Let's just leave it that I do know. To inflict yourself on Misao now would spoil the excitement for her, because your own ruined wedding day would sit over you like a thick dark cloud."

"Which doesn't mean I need to _inflict_ myself on you instead!" she cried, hurt by the cruelly blunt way he had to rub it in her face.

"Why not?" he demanded. "If anyone deserves it, then I do". You said it yourself that this was all my fault, and I damned well know it!"

"It was me who called Tomoe to warn her about you and Akira. It was me who advised her to get back here if she still felt anything for my brother. And it was me who encouraged them to see each other at every possible moment I could arrange, to make Akira see what a dreadful mistake he was making by marrying you!

All of a sudden, her world shattered. Hot angry tears raced down her cheeks. Not wanting to let him see anymore of her demise, she flung herself face down on the bed.

He watched her silently, letting her sob her heart out. Maybe letting some of the hurt out would allow her to think clearly.

To her surprise, he lay back too, stretching out beside her. As he studied the ceiling, he continued "I admit it,…I feel lousy about it all. Guilty if you want to call it that. I owe you, so let me help you get through this with at least some dignity" he turned his head to her direction.

Surprisingly she turned her tear streaked face to him. He almost smiled at her sudden change.

"By offering yourself in your brother's place?" Then the atmosphere shifted. To think she already had enough, the next second she was chuckling "How old are you?"

He grimaced "Thirty-two"

"I am twenty-one… and Akira is twenty-three" she made a counting hand gesture.

This time it was his turn to be hysteric. "All right," he bit out "So, I'm no bargain when compared to my brother!"

His run his hands through his hair "I'm not asking you to love me instead, just… give me a chance to help you through those next few months while you get over this."

"and what will you get out of it?" she hadn't spent the last three years working for the Seijuro company without learning very early on that their respected chairman didn't do anything without a damned reason for doing it.

"Like you. I save the family face." He said.

Her skeptical look made him tighter "You're that concerned with family honor?"

"The way Akira used you… it makes our name dirty."

Used…How ironic. All along the line Akira had used her with declaration of undying love and passionate promises.

Kenshin was wrong about one thing if he thought himself no bargain compared to his brother. He was worth ten of Akira – and that had nothing to do with looks or charm. Or even the love she still had for his brother, despite all the hurt he had inflicted on it. It had to do with this – this deeply inbred sense of responsibility he possessed. The need to put right what his brother had messed up.

Her life, the family name, their mutual honor.

"I won't marry you Kenshin. Not to save your face or mine. I won't degrade myself any further by pandering to another method of exploitation"

"I'm not trying to exploit you."

"Yes, you are" she sat up and covered her eyes with her hands when she felt tears beginning to burn at the back of her eyes.

She felt the slight movement of the bed as he moved to sit up until she felt his hands firm on her shoulders. He gently turned her to his arms and felt his heavy sigh as she rested on his shoulders.

"..I have nothing left to save anyway…."

His arms suddenly came around her crushing her tightly to him.

"But you will again soon." He murmured reassuringly "Come away with me now Kaoru. At the moment, only the three of us –you, me and Akira know what he actually said in his letter. Even Sanosuke didn't really understand –only that Akira had decided not to marry you."

His hands moved in circles at her back, every pass relieving a bit of her pain.

"We can tell them he had found out about us.." he continued "..That you and I had fallen in love. Akira won't dent it. He'll just be relieved that we've found some way of making him come out of it smelling cleaner.

They must have been speculating as to why you wanted me here rather than anyone else. Let's go and tell them that you and I are going away together to marry quietly somewhere. Let's give them at least something to cling onto.."

After a few seconds of silence she finally found her voice "Everything has been packed," she whispered into his shoulder. "I h-haven't got anything to wear"

"We can soon remedy that" he said, the tension seeping out of him when he recognized her words as a statement of defeat."

She led him to the corner of the room where a pile of suitcases are neatly stacked. Each one of them containing clothes she consciously chose in an attempt to please Akira. So as not to embarrass herself any further, she reached down on one and selected the case which contained the clothes she really didn't have the plan of wearing –her working clothes.

Kenshin noted the choice of garments as Kaoru walked back to the bathroom to change. He opened one suitcase only to find the kind of things a bride would want to have around her on such important occasion: Soft, delicate, sexy things to tantalize her new husband with on her wedding night.

Then, on an act of aggression which would have startled Kaoru if she had been there to witness it, he sent the small case flying to the floor with a single, vicious swipe of his hand, glaring down at the tumbled array of feminine items scattered at his feet.

When she came back, though, she found the room neat and tidy. Kenshin was standing by the window, sinister with the scowl on his face. But when he saw her – dressed, her hair contained in a high ponytail – he smiled and came over to her side.

"Okay?" he asked.

She nodded.

She shouldn't be allowing this to happen but she couldn't to find the strength to put up any more opposition.

"Leave the talking to me." He advised as he turned her towards the bedroom door.

He was quite right about one thing: he was the only person she felt she could share the torment with, because he had been the one to instigate it in the first place.

**TBC…**

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><p>Preview of the Next Chapter – <em><span>The Show<span>_

_Why do you dislike me so much? Is it because of my status? My mixed race? _

_She asked herself, not knowing she said it out loud. Still, his response startled her._

"_What?" he rasped "did I hear you correctly? Were you just accusing me of racial prejudice then?"_

_Actually, she hadn't meant to offend him. But from his reaction, that was exactly what she had done. _

"_..You hated to touch me.." she reminded him "..or even look at me if you could avoid it. What else was I supposed to think?_

"_Well not what you did think!" he got up, and she felt oddly lost without him close to her "You actually believed me stupid enough to dislike your relationship with my brother because of your mixed race?"_

_She closed her eyes again, too tired to do much more than smile ruefully at his reaction._

_But the real point was, if it wasn't her mixed race, then what was it he didn't like about her? Because there was definitely something.._

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><p><strong>Too long for a second chap isn't it? Well, at least I tried not to make it a boring chapter, so please tell me what you think.<strong>

**REVIEW RESPONSES:** (I decided to leave it here for everyone to be informed of some of your inquiries.)

**deliriou599** here's the next chap for you! XD**  
><strong>

** amie689** I'm glad you appreciated the first, Overwhelmed to know you loved the revision, and thankful for your encouraging review!

**Auditory Eden **Kaoru and Megumi here are sisters. Sano is Kaoru's brother in law since he is married to her sister. Akira is Kaoru's supposed-to-be groom and Kenshin is her supposed-to-be brother in law. What I mean in the summary is that Kenshin is willing to step right into his half-brother (Akira's) shoes. And I changed the text alignment like you've asked.

Sorry If I got you confused with the summary...I already changed it anyway.^^ thanks for noting this mistake.

**miniwoo**you're welcome. I just found it good for a KxK plot. How's your stories anyway? Hope you update them soon^^

**nma5** thank you! I really appreciate you pal! You've been there for most of my fics so I really care about your reviews. Kaoru's reaction was only due to her emotional overload. The line actually came from the original story itself so you have to blame Miss Reid for that (just kidding) however, you should not take it personally because I didn't intend for it to sound in general.

**bbzachariah **don't worry, I didn't take it as a flame (I've seen worse of those) I considered your suggestions, but no, I didn't plan on getting a beta reader at the first place. I'll be shouldering this alone to improve my writing (but from your reaction I realized I really made a mess at the first version) so sorry if it sounded that way. Thanks a lot! I hope you don't lose hope in this story.

**Kenjutsu2Pincess **thank you, I hope you're not disappointed with last chap's revision

**lhor** thank you for your review. Though I don't think she'll bounce back soon enough^^

**deepsapphiresoul** when I first read the novel I didn't find it that heart breaking. I'm surprised you're that affected.

**kagomes heart ** there are some fics involving Akira with Kaoru. I prefer Enishi but he didn't seem to fit in the requirements of the situations I would be putting him in the later chaps.

**makoto chieko **you're the first reviewer so I give you my warmest thanks. Yes I will finish this story, that's why I had to revise it. I'm just so terribly sorry I made you all wait longer than I promised to.


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